Martin Tielli is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He was a member of the Rheostatics, and has also released material as a solo artist and with the side project Nick Buzz. As well, he has appeared as a guest musician on albums by Barenaked Ladies, Kevin Hearn, The Waltons, Jane Siberry, Ashley MacIsaac, Meryn Cadell and Mia Sheard. He is also a painter, and created most of the album covers for the Rheostatics.

Martin Tielli
Martin Tielli performing with the Rheostatics at Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario, 2007
Martin Tielli performing with the Rheostatics at Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario, 2007
Background information
BornItaly
OriginEtobicoke, Ontario, Canada
GenresIndie rock, classical
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer, visual artist, actor
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, tenor guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, banjo, mandolin, accordion, percussion
Years active1981 – present
LabelsSix Shooter
WebsiteMartinTielli.ca

Tielli's siblings include brothers Doug Tielli and John Tielli and sister Sara Tielli. The brothers were members of the band People From Earth. Martin co-produced People From Earth's 1997 album, Luvskull, with the band and Don Kerr.

Career

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In 1992, Tielli, along with Jonathan Goldsmith, Hugh Marsh and Rob Piltch, provided backup for a track on the album Back to the Garden; these four later formed the band Nick Buzz and produced two albums and an EP.[1][2][3]

In 2001 Tielli released his first solo album, We Didn't Even Suspect That He Was The Poppy Salesman.[4]

Rheostatics

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Film

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Tielli appears in the 2005 film, Black Widow, with Mary Margaret O'Hara and Sarah Slean, which was produced by CBC Television. Tielli took part in a 2009 interactive documentary series entitled City Sonic.[5] The episode in which he appeared, directed by Peter Lynch, featured fellow Toronto artist, Laura Barrett, speaking of her first concert experience, which was seeing the Rheostatics perform Music Inspired by the Group of Seven at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Tielli and Barrett perform the song "Northern Wish" together. Tielli also wrote and performed a sizable portion of the soundtrack for Payback, a 2012 documentary film based on the book, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, by Margaret Atwood.[6]

Solo discography

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With Nick Buzz

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  • Circo (1995, re-release 2002)
  • Arnold Schoenberg and the Berlin Cabaret (2003)
  • A Quiet Evening at Home (2013)

Compilation inclusions

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Equipment

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Instruments
Effects

Tielli painted his Ibanez guitar with a "never quite presented idea" for the new Canadian flag, designed by A.Y. Jackson.[9] This design is often mistaken for one originally championed by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson to be the Canadian flag (nicknamed "the Pearson Pennant"). This guitar appears on the cover for the Rheostatics album, Double Live. Tielli's Steinberger guitar is nicknamed "Steiny".

Citations

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  1. ^ "A Quiet Evening at Home unique and adventurous". Caper Times , Sep 15, 2013 page 6
  2. ^ H. Raymond Samuels II. (2005). Compendium of the Dominion: Canada's grassroots national newspaper : May 2003 to November 2004 editions. Agora Cosmopolitan. p. 115. ISBN 978-1-894934-14-5.
  3. ^ "Nick Buzz: Nick Buzz". Vue Weekly, July 23, 2009
  4. ^ "CD REVIEWS: Nickelback, Jamiroquai, Mercury Rev and many more"[usurped]. Chart Attack, September 11, 2001 By: Debbie Bento and Tim Melton.
  5. ^ City Sonic: Laura Barrett with Martin Tielli at The AGO. CitySonicTV. YouTube. 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  6. ^ Tielli's official site. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  7. ^ a b "Ryan Granville-Martin Mouthparts and Wings". By Kerry Doole, Jul 16, 2013
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "What they're playing, Rheostatics Homepage, DROG website". Archived from the original on 5 December 2002. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Canadian Design Resource". Retrieved 20 April 2009.

References

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